The Grant Union/Prairie City softball team celebrates as Halle Parsons crosses home plate following her three-run walkoff homer during the second round of the state playoffs on May 23, 2024, at the Seventh Street Sports Complex.

JOHN DAY — The Grant Union/Prairie City Lady Prospector softball team was in full postseason form as the defending 2A softball champions mauled the Myrtle Point/Powers Bobcats en route to a 16-0, fourth-inning mercy rule win in the opening round of the OSAA 2A softball playoffs on Wednesday, May 22, at the Seventh Street Sports Complex in John Day.

Catcher Addy Northway got things started for the Lady Pros, blasting a solo home run during the team’s first at-bat for the first of seven runs in a backbreaking opening inning that saw Grant Union/Prairie City seize momentum and never relinquish it. The Lady Pros would add another run in the bottom of the second on a Halle Parsons RBI single that brought the lead to 8-0.

The scoring blitz resumed in the third inning as the Lady Pros added five runs to come dangerously close to a 15-run mercy rule stoppage.

The game would end the same way it started, with a Lady Pro home run. This time Parsons would provide the big bat, belting a three-run homer to give the Lady Pros a 16-0 fourth-inning walk-off win.

Leading the Lady Pros offensively was Parsons, who had about as complete a game as one could hope for at the plate. She went 3-4 at bat with a whopping six RBIs and two runs scored.

Pitcher Drew Williams also made her presence known on offense, going 1-3 at the plate with three RBIs.

Williams also picked up the win in the circle for the Lady Pros, surrendering a single hit to the Lady Bobcats while striking out nine batters.

The win puts the Lady Pros into the quarterfinals of the state tournament, a mere two games away from a return to the state championship game for the third consecutive year. The Lady Pros will host the winners of Lowell/Santiam in the quarterfinal on Friday, May 24, at the Seventh Street Sports Complex.

Start time for that game is set for 4 p.m.